Western Railroad Discussion > Benicia train bridge struck by vessel; damage unknown

KTVU news is reporting that a commercial vessel has struck the Benicia train bridge within the past two hours.  This is UP track in northern California east bay. Rail traffic has been halted.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/19 13:12 by Graybeard1942.

No other reports in Bay Area media.  The Coast Guard is inspecting the bridge structure.

From Wiki:

The Benicia–Martinez Bridge refers to three parallel bridges which cross the Carquinez Strait just west of Suisun Bay; the spans link Benicia, California on the north side with Martinez, California on the south.

Between the two vehicle bridges is a Union Pacific Railroad bridge, the first bridge at this location, built between April 1929 and October 1930 by Southern Pacific. It is used by Union Pacific and BNSF (trackage rights) freight trains and 36 scheduled Amtrak passenger trains each weekday. Passenger trains include the long-distance trains California Zephyr and Coast Starlight and commuter-oriented Capitol Corridor services.

The railroad bridge was built between 1928 and 1930 for Southern Pacific Railroad to replace its train ferry between Benicia and Port Costa, California.

Adding the fun and games, a wildfire is burning in Martinez in Franklin Canyon next to the rail tracks there.

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/19 12:35 by Graybeard1942.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/vessel-collides-with-bridge-piling-in-benicia

BENICIA, Calif. (KTVU) - A boat has struck a bridge piling on a train trestle belonging to Union Pacific Railroad next to the Benicia bridge. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, a vessel hit the bridge piling this morning. There were no injuries to anyone on the boat.The collision is causing delays for the Capitol Corridor train route by Amtrak as engineers inspect the bridge for structural integrity. KTVU has reached out to Union Pacific and Amtrak for comment, but has not yet heard back.

:
Train 528 is delayed 22 minutes at  Martinez and will be holding for at least 30 minutes due to an incident with the  bridge.— Capitol Corridor (@CapitolCorridor) July 5, 2019

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/19 12:46 by Graybeard1942.

So U.P. and BNSF routes into nor-call is affected. Thank God uncle Pete has 3 other routes into the bay area. By the way a boat hit that bridge about once a year. Damm thing is pretty wellbuilt.

Posted from Android

So what happens to the ship's captain, or pilot if a pilot is at the helm? Do they have to pee in a bottle or anything? De-certified? 

I'm not trying to be smart-ass, I honestly am interested in what ramifications there are for the operator of the vessel.

Pilots don't take the helm.


Railbaron Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So what happens to the ship's captain, or pilot if
> a pilot is at the helm? Do they have to pee in a
> bottle or anything? De-certified? 
>
> I'm not trying to be smart-ass, I honestly am
> interested in what ramifications there are for the
> operator of the vessel.

Posted from Android

stash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pilots don't take the helm.

See, learned something already. I'm not very nautical.  LOL

The pilot is there to advise the captain.  I believe that both can be liable for an accident.

Also, the BNSF has its own route into the Bay Area from Stockton.

stash Wrote:
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> Pilots don't take the helm.
>
Correct-they just pilot here or pilot there. LOL.

BB

Captain is final authority for safe operation of the vessel, while other personnel my be subject to discipline the captain has to answer for what ever happens even if he's asleep in his quarters